Paul Pogba completed one of football’s longest and most scrutinised journeys back to the pitch on Sunday, making his Monaco debut after 811 days away from competitive football. The former Manchester United midfielder stepped onto the grass at Roazhon Park in the 85th minute, greeted by a ripple of applause from travelling supporters who knew how much the moment meant to him.

An 811-day wait ends in Brittany

The timing, however, could not soften the scoreline. Monaco were already trailing 4-0 to Rennes, a match derailed by a sloppy defensive display and a red card for captain Denis Zakaria before half-time. Pogba entered knowing the contest was lost, but the symbolism of his return overshadowed the result. Mika Biereth struck a consolation goal deep into injury time, but the 4-1 defeat, Monaco’s second by the same scoreline in consecutive weeks, dropped Sebastien Pocognoli’s side to eighth in Ligue 1. For Pogba, this night was not about the numbers, but about getting to do what he loves the most.

AdvertisementAFPFrom doping ban to redemption

Pogba’s comeback comes after a turbulent period that threatened to end his career prematurely. In August 2023, while contracted to Juventus, he tested positive for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), leading to a provisional suspension and a four-year ban issued in February 2024. Pogba insisted the incident resulted from unknowingly taking a contaminated supplement, a view his legal team argued successfully, leading to the ban being reduced and allowing his return in March 2025. Juventus mutually terminated his contract in late 2024, leaving the 2018 World Cup winner without a club or competitive minutes for more than two years. Monaco took the gamble and now Pogba is back on the pitch. 

"There were a lot of emotions. I was happy, but there's a bit of sadness with the result," he told

"We've come a long way. Today was a step to take. I did it, and I'm happy about that. As for the rest, we're a bit gutted to have lost. I feel good; there's been a lot of hard work. I still need time to get fit and play 90 minutes. But that will come with time. We're training for it. We're going to try to help the team as much as possible. It felt strange at first to be back on the plane with the group. I've settled in well. We have a very good group. We're getting back into the right routine."

According toMonaco’s medical staff will now follow a phased reintroduction: gradually increasing his time on the pitch, with the ultimate goal of reaching consecutive 90-minute matches with only three days’ recovery in between. He still dreams of representing France at the 2026 World Cup, believing that one last chapter with Les Bleus is within his grasp. With 91 caps and 11 goals, Pogba views Ligue 1 as a lifeline to force his way into Didier Deschamps's squad. 

"The objectives? In the short term, to get back to 100%, play 90 minutes, and contribute as much as possible to my team," he said. "Today, it's about playing with my team. The World Cup is a long way off. Today, there's step 1, step 2. If I were to do the World Cup, it would be a bonus."

A leader beyond the touchline

Pocognoli has repeatedly emphasised that Pogba’s value to Monaco extends beyond his passing range or physical power. The Belgian coach sees Pogba as an internal pillar, a mentor and a bridge between young talents and the expectations of elite football.

"During one of my first internal meetings, I spoke about the club’s legacy. I believe that leaders, like Paul, must pass on their knowledge to the next generation, to the fans, to everyone involved with the club," he stated. "These experienced players must mentor the younger ones. I have to make sure they succeed. The more leaders we have, the more the pressure is distributed. If Paul is used effectively, the group can benefit from his influence."

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AFPPafos challenge up next for Poba

After 811 days, countless medical tests, legal battles, emotional turbulence and physical frustration, Pogba is back on the pitch. Monaco are currently eighth in the table but are just two points behind fourth-placed Strasbourg. Their next challenge is against PSG in Ligue 1 on November 29, and Pogba will be raring to rack up more minutes under his belt. Pogba added: "It depends on the coach. I'll do everything I can to be there and help the team." The road ahead remains long. But at last, he’s walking it again.

Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber recorded the 1,000th hit of his career on a classic "Schwarbomb" home run against the New York Yankees. Though Schwarber was unable to reach this milestone in front of the Phillies home crowd, the home run was caught by a Phillies fan in attendance at Yankee Stadium.

After the Phillies' 12-5 win, Schwarber met up with the fan that caught the home run ball and his two friends. Schwarber traded two signed baseballs to get the milestone baseball back, and even offered to sign a third ball for the trio. However, they declined, replying that they simply just want Schwarber to re-sign with the Phillies, per Scott Lauber of .

"It's been fantastic these last three and a half, four years now, the support that we get from our fans," Schwarber told reporters. "Means a lot to me that they attach themselves onto our team, myself, whatever it is. We can feel that support, always appreciate it."

Schwarber, who is in the middle of his fourth season with the Phillies, will have his contract with Philadelphia expire following the 2025 campaign. He signed a four-year deal for $79 million with the Phillies in 2022, and is in the middle of another tremendous year for Philadelphia. He has hit 36 home runs and 82 RBI with a .960 OPS this season, ranking top-10 in all of MLB in all three categories.

The fans are not the only ones interested in getting Schwarber extended with Philadelphia. Phillies managing partner John Middleton expressed earlier this week that the team wants to get a new deal done with Schwarber, vi. Though the two sides were unable to agree on a new contract before the season, re-signing Schwarber will likely be a priority heading into the offseason.

Umpiring great retired in 1996 after officiating in 66 Test matches

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Sep-2025Harold “Dickie” Bird, one of the most beloved umpires in cricket’s history, has died at the age of 92.Bird, who officiated in 66 Tests and 69 ODIs, including three World Cup finals, was synonymous with his home county Yorkshire, for who he began his career as a top-order batter in 1956, and later went on to serve as Yorkshire president in 2014.He averaged 20.71 in 93 first-class matches, making two centuries including a best of 181 not out against Glamorgan in 1959. But when, after moving to Leicestershire in 1960, his career was cut short by injury four years later, his switch to umpiring would set him on the path to becoming a household name.Bird’s idiosyncrasies would become part of his appeal, including his famously anxious attitude to timekeeping. Having made his umpiring debut in May 1970, he travelled to London for his second match – Surrey versus Yorkshire at The Oval – arrived at 6am for an 11am start, and was caught by a policeman attempting to scale the wall of the still-locked ground.As an umpire, he was famously reluctant to raise his finger for lbw appeals – several of his decisions would have been quickly over-turned in the age of DRS. In mitigation, he was at least consistent in offering the benefit of the doubt to batters … with one possible exception. On the morning of his final Test, England versus India at Lord’s, he arrived in the middle with tears in his eyes after a guard of honour from the players. And duly gave Mike Atherton out lbw in the first over of the match.Other memorable moments included his decision, during the West Indies Test at Old Trafford in 1995, to call a halt to play for an excess of sunlight, which had been reflecting off a greenhouse behind the bowler’s arm. In that same fixture, as related by Atherton in his autobiography, Bird dropped the pocket-ful of marbles that he used to count the deliveries in an over.”Play was halted momentarily while Dickie scrambled around on his hands and knees looking for his counters,” Atherton wrote. “‘I’ve lost me marbles! I’ve lost me marbles! He cried. Most of us thought he had lost his marbles a long time ago.”He was frequently the victim of practical jokes – particularly at the hands of Ian Botham and Allan Lamb. On one occasion, Lamb arrived at the middle with his 1980s brick-style mobile phone still in his pocket. Bird duly stashed it in his coat, whereupon Botham rang the device from the dressing-room, telling a startled Bird to pass on a message for his team-mate to get a move on.Bird himself had believed his likeliest route to sporting success was football, although as he related in his autobiography, a cartilage operation on his knee at the age of 15 put paid to that ambition. Instead, he became a fixture in Barnsley’s 1st XI cricket team, where his team-mates included Michael Parkinson – who would later become a world-renowned chat-show host – and later, Geoffrey Boycott.”I have known Dickie nearly 70 years as a friend,” Boycott wrote in his tribute to Bird. “When I was 15 I was taken to Barnsley Cricket Club by my Uncle Algy. I was in awe of him because every week Dickie was the star batsman.”Boycott added that Bird was a “very good technical batsman” but added that “nerves got the better of him” during his Yorkshire career. As an umpire, however, he described him as “absolutely brilliant”.”Players all over the world respected and admired him for his firmness, fairness, and he did it with a sense of humour. He was loved by so many and became a legend.”In 2009, Bird was honoured with a bronze statue on Barnsley’s Church Lane, set in his familiar umpiring pose with one finger raised. The council was soon obliged to place it on a higher plinth than had been intended, due to the public’s temptation to hang objects on said finger.He was appointed an MBE in 1986 and an OBE in 2012 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to cricket, having stood in his last first-class match in 1998, Yorkshire versus Warwickshire at Headingley.In a statement, Yorkshire confirmed that he had died peacefully at home”He leaves behind a legacy of sportsmanship, humility, and joy — and a legion of admirers across generations,” Yorkshire added.”The thoughts of everyone at the Yorkshire County Cricket Club are with Dickie’s family and friends during this time. He will be truly missed by all at the Club having spent an incredible amount of time in support of everyone here and will be remembered as one the greatest characters in Yorkshire’s history.”

Real Madrid have issued an apology after they showed the wrong player in a tribute to Portuguese striker Diogo Jota and brother Andre Silva. The Spanish giants made the mistake during the Ordinary General Assembly of Representative Members as they wished to remember the duo, who both tragically lost their lives in a car accident over the summer.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Video showed Elche striker Andre Silva alongside Jota

  The 28-year-old striker and brother Andre Silva were killed in a single car collision in July in an incident that shocked the footballing world to its core. A number of teams have paid tribute to both players in the months since, while Liverpool fans chant his name in the 20th minute of games.

  Real Madrid had sought to pay their own tribute to the pair over the weekend but were forced into an apology as they inadvertently showed the wrong player a video. Alongside Jota wasn't his brother, but rather former RB Leipzig striker, and current Elche player, Andre Silva.

  Incidentally, Real Madrid face Elche at the Martinez Valero in La Liga on Sunday, with Silva expected to start for Eder Sarabia's side. The Spanish powerhouse have since come out and apologised for showing the wrong player, and expressed their "regret" over the incident.

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• Real Madrid apologise to Elche and Silva

  In a statement on their official X account, Real Madrid posted: "Real Madrid C.F. apologises to Elche C.F. and its player André da Silva for having mistakenly included his image in the obituary of an institutional video instead of that of André Silva, the brother of Diogo Jota, the Liverpool player. We regret this incident."

  During his speech following the video, Real Madrid President, Florentino Perez, also issued an apology of his own for the oversight.

  After an impressive start to the season, Elche currently find themselves in the midst of a five-game winless run following a 1-1 home draw with Real Sociedad prior to the international break. However, Elche have caught the eye in front of their own fans, and are unbeaten at the Martinez Valero, winning three and drawing three of six matches.

  Likewise, Real Madrid are looking to return to winning ways having failed to win their last away competitive matches, having followed up a 1-0 Champions League defeat at Liverpool with a 0-0 draw at Rayo Vallecano earlier this month. Sunday's game at Elche is the third of six successive away matches for Xabi Alonso's men after the Bernabeu was used for the NFL game between the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Commanders earlier this month.

  Los Blancos head into Sunday's game in second having been leapfrogged in the La Liga table by defending champions Barcelona. The Blaugrana returned to Spotify Camp Nou for the first time in over 900 days on Saturday and marked the occasion with a 4-0 win over Athletic Club.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Liverpool star paid tribute to Jota after Scotland success

  Real Madrid's gaffe comes just days after Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson paid an emotional tribute to Jota. The Scotland international was celebrating Scotland's World Cup qualifying win over Denmark as the Tartan Army booked their spot at the 2026 competition with a 4-2 win over Denmark.

  "I've hid it well, but today I've been in bits. I know the age I'm at, this could be my last chance to go to the World Cup," Robertson said. "I couldn't get my mate Diogo Jota out of my head today. We spoke so much about going to the World Cup because he missed the last one with Portugal and I did with Scotland. I know he'll be smiling over me today.

  "I'm so glad it's ended up this way. This group of boys, this group of staff – it's the best group I've been involved in. The manager's speech before the game was unbelievable. He went through the big moments we've had. Qualifying for the Euros – he couldn't quite remember – we were in Wunderbar. He said 'let's make it another one'.

  "We were quite emotional. To do it for him, the staff and all our families, it'll go down as one of the greatest nights of my life. That just sums up this squad. Never say die. We just keep going right to the end and one of the craziest games. We put the country through it, but I'm sure it's worth it. We're going to the World Cup."

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• When do Real Madrid play at the Bernabeu again?

  Real Madrid, meanwhile, follow up today's game at Elche with trips to Olympiacos, Girona and Athletic Club as they continue their run of away games.

  Los Blancos will finally return to the Bernabeu for the welcome of Celta Vigo on December 7, and follow that up with a huge Champions League home tie with Manchester City.

While they’ve made more than their fair share of transfer mistakes in recent years, Chelsea have built themselves one of the best squads in the Premier League.

However, when it comes to picking out the best and most important player in Enzo Maresca’s side, there can only be one answer: Cole Palmer.

The Englishman joined the club in the summer of 2023 and, despite battling with injuries of late, has amassed a staggering tally of 45 goals and 29 assists in 101 games.

So, Chelsea fans should be very excited about reports linking them with another international superstar who could be a Palmer-esque signing.

Chelsea chase Palmer-type signing

Palmer has only played four games for Chelsea this season, in which he’s scored two goals, and while the club have fared okay without him, it’s clear that they miss his game-changing ability.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

For example, the often unplayable Englishman would surely have been able to find a winner in the game against Qarabağ, or grab another goal to ensure Sunderland never got their winner a couple of weeks ago.

It seems that the board might share the opinion that the side are lacking a bit of inventive cutting edge at the moment and, as a result, have turned their attention to one of the most exciting attackers in Europe.

At least that is according to a recent report from Spain, which claims Chelsea are interested in Julian Alvarez.

In fact, the report goes further than that and reveals that the Blues have joined the bidding war for his services, competing against the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona to bring him to London.

However, it won’t be a cheap deal to get over the line, with the story claiming that the Blues will make a club record €150m offer to sign the Argentine, which is around £133m.

Even so, this is a transfer worth pursuing, as Alvarez is one of the most exciting attackers in Europe and could be a Palmer-type signing.

Why Alvarez would be a Palmer-type signing

Now, there is certainly the Manchester City connection, but the primary reason Alvarez could be Chelsea’s next Palmer-type signing is the simple fact that he’s talented enough to have a similar monumental impact.

For example, from an output perspective alone, the Argentine international is operating at a level so far above most strikers in European football – other than Erling Haaland, of course.

The Atlético Madrid “monster,” as dubbed by journalist Pablo Gonzalez, ended last year with an astounding tally of 29 goals and eight assists in 57 appearances, totalling 3967 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.54 games, or every 107.21 minutes.

Then, as if to prove last year wasn’t a fluke, the former City gem has already amassed a tally of 13 goal involvements in 15 appearances, totalling 1216 minutes.

That comes out to a sensational average of one every 1.15 games or every 93.53 minutes, which lends plenty of credence to Pep Guardiola’s previous statement that he’s an “undroppable” force of nature.

In addition to his incredible output, the 25-year-old superstar has also got some unreal underlying numbers to his name.

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 1% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for passes into the penalty area, through balls, goal-creating actions, the top 2% for progressive carries, crosses and more, all per 90.

Shots from Free Kicks

0.34

Top 1%

Passes into Penalty Area

1.74

Top 1%

Through Balls

0.73

Top 1%

Goal-Creating Actions

0.73

Top 1%

Progressive Carries

3.04

Top 2%

Passes Completed (Medium)

8.60

Top 2%

xA: Expected Assists

0.25

Top 2%

Key Passes

2.03

Top 2%

Crosses

3.53

Top 2%

Shot-Creating Actions

4.21

Top 2%

SCA (Live-ball Pass)

2.88

Top 2%

GCA (Dead-ball Pass)

0.05

Top 2%

Total Carrying Distance

170.64

Top 2%

Progressive Carrying Distance

82.18

Top 2%

Passes Completed

27.03

Top 3%

Passes Attempted

35.73

Top 3%

Total Passing Distance

420.19

Top 3%

Passes Completed (Short)

14.68

Top 3%

Live-ball Passes

30.90

Top 3%

Dead-ball Passes

4.73

Top 3%

GCA (Live-ball Pass)

0.42

Top 3%

Touches

45.51

Top 3%

Touches (Att 3rd)

25.39

Top 3%

Touches (Live-Ball)

45.30

Top 3%

Carries

27.81

Top 3%

Carries into Final Third

1.95

Top 3%

In other words, the Atleti ace is as effective at creating opportunities for his teammates as he is taking them himself – sound familiar?

Ultimately, even though it will require a club record fee, Chelsea should be doing everything they can to sign Alvarez, as he would have as significant an impact on the team as Palmer.

Forget Delap: Cobham star who "lives & breathes goals" is Chelsea's future #9

The incredible Cobham gem could be a star for Chelsea but a problem for Delap.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 13, 2025

England opener admits scrutiny has increased after tough winter but says “I won’t not be me in interviews”

Vithushan Ehantharajah24-Mar-2025″I wasn’t sure if I wanted to talk about this, or if I was going to,” says Ben Duckett, when asked at Nottinghamshire’s pre-season media day to reflect on a week that began with an interview in the and ended with him deactivating his Twitter (X) account.For those not chronically online, a quick summary. As part of a wide-ranging chat, Duckett stated he would not be surprised by Jasprit Bumrah this summer during India’s five-Test series, having faced him at the start of last year, when England lost 4-1. Bumrah took 19 wickets at 16.89 across four Tests, though only one of those was Duckett, who finished the series with 343 runs at 34.30.That quote was repurposed elsewhere, including at Wisden.com, whose article was singled out by Duckett for carrying a headline – “Nothing from Bumrah will surprise me, England should beat India this summer” – that he felt misappropriated his original quotes. Their framing, from his perspective, suggested he was far more bolshy than he actually was.Social media went into overdrive, jumping on the back of yet another Duckett-ism. After replying to a few posts he felt were out of pocket, he decided to close his account.Related

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Duckett delivers but England fall flat again to put tournament on the line

Is Duckett's 165 the highest individual score in the Champions Trophy?

Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson ready to have it all – again

Duckett received an apology from Wisden.com for the presentation of their article. Though not long has passed, there has been a healthy amount of deliberation from the 30-year-old. About the space he inhabits as a top-level sportsperson, opening the batting for England across all formats, and both the responsibility and scrutiny – reasonable or otherwise – that comes with it.”I guess it’s the world that we live in,” Duckett says. “I’m a professional sportsman, and when I talk to you guys [the media] like this, whatever I say is out there and for people to judge, and that’s completely fair enough.”I struggled last week because the headline I read wasn’t something I’d said. And it wasn’t with the person I did the interview. I’ve had communication with them. That was the thing I didn’t like, because people were then having a go and judging me on something that I didn’t go and say.”If you ask me about Jasprit Bumrah, I’d say, right now, he’s probably the toughest bowler to face in the world. What I said in the interview was that I’d faced him before – it’s not like I’m going into a series not knowing what he’s going to do.”The game he got me out in India [the second innings of the first Test at Hyderabad] was with a big reverse-swinging ball which I thought wasn’t. I had a big drive and missed it. That was a massive learning point, and then I managed to get through the rest of that series without him getting me out.”I’ve always been very good at blocking media out and blocking opinions of people because they’re completely entitled to them. It felt like a good opportunity to actually reply to a couple of people and go, ‘look, this isn’t what I said’. And obviously then I had some other communication with people who were apologising. That was nice. But then, it was potentially a learning for other people to maybe not go so hard straight away from reading a snippet of something.”I’d like to think I won’t not be me in interviews. I’d find that really hard to do, and I wouldn’t want to do that. It’s been an interesting week but I think for me, right now, being off Twitter is the right thing and it’s a lot easier life being off Twitter.”

“I’ve always really enjoyed doing media and I’ve always been very honest. It just feels like, off the back of a pretty tough few months for England, people are going to judge more and they’re going to have more opinions on your comments”

Just two weeks ago, men’s managing director Rob Key conceded the team “speak a lot of rubbish a lot of the time”, and the need for them to “get better” in interviews. At this stage, the ECB has no intention of restricting media access to players, knowing they play a vital role in growing the game. In many cases, they believe the way forward is for longer-form chats to make it harder for quotes to be taken out of context.While Key’s words were not aimed solely at Duckett, the Nottinghamshire batter does have previous for misspeaking. During that 2024 India series, he suggested England should take some credit for the imperious form of opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. Earlier this year, he was lambasted for stating he did not care if England lost 3-0 in an ODI series to India “as long as we beat them in the final of the Champions Trophy”. England were subsequently dumped out of that tournament after losing all three of their group stage matches.”That one in India [ahead of the Champions Trophy] was a big learning for me. Especially in big series where a lot of eyes are on you, it is really important what you say.”I’ve always really enjoyed doing media and I’ve always been very honest. It just feels like, off the back of a pretty tough few months for England, people are going to judge more and they’re going to have more opinions on your comments. I don’t know now – will I be more apprehensive going to do media? I don’t know. I’m certainly trying to think more in what I say, because I don’t think there is necessarily a wrong thing to say, but I don’t want to say something that a lot of people are going to judge me on or twist in however way.”That Duckett has found himself in front of a microphone so often is largely down to the fact his bat has done its fair share of talking since he returned to Test side in Pakistan at the end of 2022. Only he and Joe Root have played all 28 Tests since, and his consistency – 2,160 runs, third behind Root and Harry Brook, with four centuries – and emergence as a senior player often has him fronting up for media duties, in good times and bad.The latter was certainly the case at the start of this year. Duckett finished a two-month stint on the subcontinent as England’s most productive run-scorer in the Champions Trophy and the preceding white-ball tour of India. With the team losing 10 of 11 matches across this period, grasping for positives, as is the wont of the set-up under Brendon McCullum, led to a few eyebrow-raising comments.Duckett’s form in India and Pakistan was a rare bright spot for England•Getty Images”I did quite a few interviews this winter after me performing well but us losing, and in my eyes that’s the hardest interview you can possibly do. You’ve just lost a game, you’re feeling pretty down, but you’ve done well personally. It’s pretty hard to judge someone.”The way that the England side want to play is that really exciting brand of cricket and I do think that has been caught up in the media. I’ve not helped it, and maybe some others haven’t helped it. But all we want to do is win.”If you were to put a camera in the dressing room after every single loss for the India and Champions Trophy, you’d see a group of lads who were distraught, who were not happy, who weren’t thinking ‘oh we were involved in a great game against Australia today, we got 350 and we lost, who cares’. We were all hurting.”I think sometimes the way we play and stuff might look like we don’t care. But there’s a lot that goes into it behind the scenes with Baz and the coaches. There’s so much more to it and we’re certainly a group, moving forward now, it might look a little bit different. I don’t think the way that we’ll play will be different but… we want to win games. For me, those two months in India and the white-ball stuff, they hurt me so much.”Duckett will initially taper into the season with a bit-part role in Nottinghamshire’s start to their Division One campaign, having spent the last few weeks back in the country focusing on his fitness, admitting his body was “hanging on” during the Champions Trophy.He intends to make his appearances in the County Championship count. Nevertheless, it will be with a view to what lies ahead, namely another shot at India and this winter’s Ashes in Australia. Legacy defining for the team?”I mean, internally that won’t be the way I’d say it,” Duckett says. “You may be right. I don’t think many Test sides have been defined by an Ashes away trip. I think it’s an extremely tough place to go and not many people go there and win.”We certainly believe we can. It’s a long way off by now, but hopefully all the bowlers are fit, everyone’s fit and firing. We’ve got an incredibly big series before that to try and win on home soil. We’ve got the best two sides in the world that we’re playing in the next six months, so it’s exciting and they’re two massive opportunities… if we can go and perform well and beat them, it’ll be an incredible achievement.”

The Los Angeles Dodgers are placing third baseman Max Muncy on the injured list with a bone bruise in his left knee, the team announced Thursday.

Muncy heads to the IL after Chicago White Sox outfielder Michael A. Taylor attempted to steal third base and collided with Muncy's lower leg during Wednesday's 5-4 Dodgers win. Muncy tagged Taylor out, but went down clutching his knee and had to limp off the field with assistance from athletic trainer Thomas Albert.

Muncy told reporters Thursday that he is expected to miss about six weeks with the injury.

“It was tough news, but it was also great news in terms of when you look at the play and the injury that could have happened, we possibly got best case scenario,” said Muncy. “There’s no structural damage in there, which is huge. That was definitely a pleasant relief, but the timetable still kind of sucks for me personally. … It was a tough blow, but at the same time, I still get to play baseball this year instead of coming back next year around April.”

The two-time MLB All-Star, who is in his ninth season with the Dodgers organization, was in the middle of a strong campaign before going down with the injury, slashing .250/.375/.457 with 13 home runs and 55 RBIs this season.

With Muncy out for the foreseeable future, the Dodgers are calling up outfielder Esteury Ruiz in a corresponding move. Ruiz, who the Dodgers acquired from the Athletics earlier this season, has spent this season in the minor leagues, but previously led the American League in stolen bases in 2023. Ruiz is slashing .292/.394/.458 with eight home runs, 37 RBIs, and 38 stolen bases for Triple-A Oklahoma City this year,

The Australia captain was especially emotive with the ball in hand as his team responded strongly to their Perth drubbing

Andrew McGlashan08-Dec-2024As Pat Cummins went through India’s lower order early on the third day in Adelaide, it felt like a statement from the Australia captain who had been particularly expressive with ball in hand throughout the contest.Mitchell Starc had already removed the main threat, Rishabh Pant, in the first over. Now a rapid bouncer from Cummins did for R Ashwin as he tried to hook, another rising delivery was fending into the gully by Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy ramped into the hands of deep third to give Cummins his third wicket. He could have finished with six when Mohammed Siraj, who was booed to the crease in rather pantomime-esque scenes after his run-in with Travis Head the previous day, fended at his first delivery but Alex Carey couldn’t gather the edge.Never mind. In the blink of an eye, Australia needed 19 to level the series. It was all done before the first interval, perhaps leaving some of the 33,000 in the ground a little torn between delight at the victory and a lack of cricket for the rest of a beautiful Sunday.For Australia, though, there was only one concern: winning. And they did so in a style every bit as emphatic as India’s victory in Perth.On the opening day Cummins had looked especially emotive – borderline angry – when he bounced out Pant. Late on the second night he produced a peach of a delivery to take Rohit Sharma’s off stump, which drew a few comparisons to the famous ball to Joe Root at Old Trafford in the 2019 Ashes.”This week we were back to our best, the team I remember and how we want to play our cricket so really satisfying,” Cummins said. “I was pretty pumped up. Probably felt like some big wickets in the context of the match. Especially the pink ball, feels like the margins have been quite small so maybe just pretty excited – more so than normal.”1:42

Cummins on Australia’s comeback win: ‘We were back to our best’

It was the fourth-shortest Test in Australia and 81 fewer deliveries than last season’s thrashing of West Indies, although this contest was witnessed by 135,012 across the three days – a record for an India Test in Adelaide despite its brevity.From the very first ball of the match, when Starc removed Yashasvi Jaiswal, it was an excellent two-and-a-bit days for Cummins and his team. That’s all it took to dismantle India twice across a collective 80 overs while Travis Head, not for the first time, produced the defining innings when there was a still a way back into the contest for the visitors.”When Trav walked out to the crease that was the turning point,” Cummins said. “Feels like every time he walks out the game’s in the balance…and within the space of a session or so he really took the game out of their hands. He’s done it time and time again for us in many different formats. So lucky he’s on our side because as a captain I wouldn’t know how to bowl to him, how to set fields to him.”But he also singled out the night session on the opening day, where Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne, took Australia to the close just one down, as a key period in setting up the game.”That was really gutsy what those guys did on that first night,” Cummins said. “You look back to Perth, it’s those small moments that if you win them and suddenly you wake up the next day and it’s a different day. Think that was a really good lesson and it was really gutsy to get through that period and meant some of the other guys later on could cash in.”Cummins again spoke of being reasonably happy with how he bowled in first Test in Perth – where he had a match return of 3 for 153 – and that not much changed for him here, but he looked better for the run from the moment he nibbled the new ball around in the first innings.He heaped praise on his pace-bowling colleagues, Starc and Scott Boland, who finished with eight and five wickets in the game respectively. Nathan Lyon sent down the grand total of one over – “He will jump in the ice bath, he has had a big week,” Cummins joked at the presentation – while Mitchell Marsh’s unconvincing four overs in the first innings faded from significance.”Some of the talk this week was around do we have enough bowling,” Cummins said. “Particularly that day one, thought it was a herculean effort from Starcy and Scotty. It was hot, close to 40 degrees, humid and basically just kept rotating the bowlers all day. Huge effort from those guys, showed their class, I feel very lucky as a captain to have those guys and then having someone like Lyno who we didn’t even need to call on. Feels like I’ve got a lot of tools at my disposal.”And so for the third time in a row a series between these two teams in Australia is level at 1-1 after the first two matches. Onto the Gabba.

Without Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, and Pratika Rawal, India’s batting order crumbled against England at Bengaluru’s Centre of Excellence ground in a warm-up fixture ahead of the ODI World Cup. Chasing 341, India were all out for 187, with Arundhati Reddy not coming out to bat due to a leg injury she sustained while bowling.Wicketkeeper Uma Chetry, who was included in the squad in place of the injured Yastika Bhatia, made a promising 45, while captain Jemimah Rodrigues top-scored with 66 off 68 balls. Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma, and Sneh Rana combined to make just 43 runs in the middle order.Related

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Sent in to bat, England, propelled by captain Nat Sciver-Brunt’s brisk 120 and Emma Lamb’s 84, piled up 340. India’s pace spearhead Renuka Singh struck in her first over to remove Tammy Beaumont, and the hosts had both Amy Jones and Heather Knight back before the halfway stage. However, Sciver-Brunt and Lamb’s 173-run stand put England in front, despite Kranti Goud’s three-wicket haul later in the innings.Shafali Verma notched up 70 off 49•Getty Images

Shafali Verma, left out of India’s World Cup squad, scored a blistering 49-ball 70 in India A’s four-wicket win over New Zealand in a rain-affected fixture.After New Zealand posted 273 for 9 on the back of Izzy Gaze’s unbeaten 101 at No. 7, multiple rain interruptions left India chasing a revised target of 225 in 40 overs. Shafali’s brisk knock – which included 11 fours and a six – gave the innings early momentum. Captain Minnu Mani remained unbeaten on 39, while wicketkeeper Madiwala Mamatha contributed a crucial 56 not out off 60 balls at No. 8.Earlier, Sayali Satghare, the reserve seamer for India at the World Cup, picked up three wickets. India A had New Zealand reeling at 146 for 7, but Gaze’s counterattacking century helped the Sophie-Devine-led side post a competitive total.In Colombo, both the Pakistan-Sri Lanka game and South Africa’s match against Bangladesh were washed out. Sri Lanka were 33 for 1 in 7.3 overs when play came to an end, while in the other contest, South Africa had reached 45 for 3 in nine overs before rain intervened. Bangladesh’s young pacer Marufa Akter dismissed both Laura Wolvaardt and Annerie Dercksen, while Nahida Akter bowled Marizanne Kapp – a dream start for Bangladesh.

Gilkes (99), Patterson (73) and Green (38*) took NSW to 288, before Green and Sangha shared eight wickets

AAP20-Sep-2025NSW wicketkeeper Matthew Gilkes had been run out for 99 but spinners Tanveer Sangha and Chris Green wreaked havoc in a crushing 131-run One-Day Cup win over defending champions South Australia in Sydney.Gilkes (99 off 107 balls) was run out by a direct hit from Jason Sangha in the 44th over after pushing for a quick single in his quest to bring up his century in Saturday’s clash at Cricket Central.Despite that heartbreak, the bulk of the damage had already been done, with Gilkes and Kurtis Patterson (73 off 84 balls) having combined for a 140-run stand earlier in the innings as NSW posted a competitive 288 for 7.Green added a handy 38 not out off 19 balls in a blistering late cameo that featured three sixes and three fours.In reply, South Australia were skittled for 157 in 36.3 overs after being torn to shreds by legspinner Sangha (4 for 35) and offspinner Green (4 for 25), securing NSW the bonus-point win.The Redbacks were well placed in their run chase at 84 for 1 after 15 overs following a solid knock from opener Mackenzie Harvey (60 off 55 balls). But Sangha’s first wicket, the scalp of Daniel Drew, sparked a collapse of 7 for 30 as the run chase ended limply.Sangha followed up the dismissal of Drew by snaring dangerman Alex Carey for 8. And by the time Green snared a sharp caught-and-bowled chance to send Harvey packing, and then Sangha dismissed Jake Lehmann for a duck, South Australia had slumped to 100 for 6, and it was effectively game over.